Chapter 8: Bodies in the River
Bodies in the Water is the eight chapter of Captain Listrata's Campaign. I would have been foolish to expect a peaceful journey to Corma. I was prepared for anything I might have to put my sword up against: Siani assassins, brigands, traitorous nobles. But I was not prepared for the dead bodies in the river. The smell was rank, the water sullied and the sight of so many dead children sent murmurs through the ranks. The bodies were misshapen and shriveled when the water should have left them bloated. I could understand the unease until it turned into superstitious whispers about divine displeasure and converging signs. I had to put an end to that. Fight 1 Opponent Sergeant Fauz: When an enemy attacks: 35% chance: attack back. Dialogues Start: Listrata: Are you trying to sneak away from my army, you cowadly little rat? Fauz: Um. No...? L: So you're just going on a midnight walk with your supplies? F: You caught us. We can't stay here, Captain! We'll die before you drag us to Corma! L: That can be arranged. F: No, you misunderstand. If you carry on this way, we surely will die. Game: L''': What's brought this treachery on? Do I not feed you? Pay you? Provide you with bloodshed and entertainment? F: The food's bland, the pay's reasonable and there's a bit too much bloodshed for me, but that's not the point, Captain. L: Then get to the point F: t's the bodies, Captain. It's not right. '''L: Do dead bodies scare you? These are hardly the first we've seen. F: But these aren't ones we killed. They just appeared. L: That just means someone else killed them first. I'm not going to complain about that. F: But who? Or what? And why? F': It's not just one body, Captain! There's dozens of dead children. Doesn't that mean anything to you? L: I've never liked children anyway. F: It's a sign from God. He doesn't like what you're doing and we're not sticking around to see the consequences. L: Are you an augurer now? Can you read my downfall in the limbs of dead bodies? ''Enemy buys Brute: F: We're all just common folk, wanting some peace. Well, apart from him. Enemy buys Curry Favor: F: You could just let us go? Defeat: F: God has granted us this win! Now to get as far from here as we can. Victory: L: You never even stood a chance. Grandmaster Notes Player Deck Suggestions End Battle Text I wanted to behead them all for the betrayal. But I still needed and army to retake Corma and executing my own soldiers would weaken me. My army was divided, and it did not help that I could almost sympathize with the deserters. Almost. For the first time in my life, I hesitated over what to do. Fight 2 Opponent Sergeant Fauz: Each turn: +1 . Enemy starts with: 2 less Bank Cards. Dialogues Start: Listrata: You won't stand down? Then I'll cut you down. Fauz: Then do it. That would be better than what you're leading us into. L: Why are people incapable of just blindly following anymore? F: That was before the omens started. L: You've known my plans from the start. March on Corma, retake my lands. Nothing has changed! F: We need a leader who acknowledges the dangers they march us into. Game: '''F: Do you really not consider these dead children to be a sign? A warning? L: Of course it's a warning. Don't go upstream. F''': This is an omen of the destruction to come. L: If God is so displeased, he can send a messenger with a letter and clearly detail why. This tells me nothing. '''F: Please, just reconsider. Let us leave or take an alternate route, or at least look into what's causing this. L: This is my birthright! It is mine by blood, inheritance and divine right. I shall not be denied it! F': You'll see... You'll see... Something terrible is coming. L: I see that you're a gullible old bat. I can't believe someone like you managed to incite my men into defecting. ''Defeat: L: What? How am I defeated by the likes of you?! F: You ignored the signs, Captain, and you will regret that you did. Victory: F: God will punish you for your arrogance, Captain. L: He'd better do it soon then. We'll be at Corma before long. Grandmaster Notes Player Deck Suggestions End Battle Text His body went into the river too. It was a good reminder that corpses in the river could have a perfectly simple explanation. I told the rest of the deserters that they were welcome to join him. None took me up on that offer. I was ready to move on, to put this unfortunate scene behind us. Fight 3 Opponent Baroness Anibaldo: Starts with 2 Serfs. Steals your +1 per turn. Dialogues Start: Listrata: Now what?! Anibaldo: I never did like you, Listrata. L: You don't have to like me, you just have to follow me. A: I'm not following you if you can't even control your own army. Game: '''L: Are you some superstitious fanatic too? A: Hardly. They provide a good distraction though. L''': You would have stabbed me in the back if I'd given you the chance, wouldn't you? A: Of course. And you would have done the same for me. L: At this point I don't really care where I stab you '''A: You'd do well to listen to your men's complaints, Listrata. L: Do you believe a word of it? A: It matters little whether it's true or not. It matters that it is important to the men and you have dismissed their concerns. A': You think yourself infallible, Listrata. But you'll bleed just as red as the rest of us. L: Not infallible. Just better than you are. A: You're too easy to goad. Your anger takes precedence over your brain, what little you have of one. ''Enemy buys Knight: A: Your loyalty is to me, not her! Defeat: A: It seems you should have taken that warning more seriously. I'll be taking my leave now. Victory: A: Damn. I should have waited for a better chance. L: I won't give you a second one. Grandmaster Notes Player Deck Suggestions End Chapter Text I trusted no one, and this just showed it was for good reason. We grimly pressed forward. Everyone, including myself, was on edge until we had passed the river by miles and was too far to consider turning around to find the source of the bodies. Even then, I could feel the dissatisfaction building up like water behind a dam. Bonus Fight Unlocked by not using any continues on Grandmaster difficulty. Start Battle Text The Baroness pled for her life, I gave a show of being appeased, but I knew I would watch my back around her from then on. In exchange, she pointed me toward a suspicious person within my camp. She had seen him convincing the other soldiers into defecting, but had not spotted him among the rabble when i faced him. Opponent Valdorian: Each turn, 30% chance: Draw a card from foe; Play foe's coin, 50%: +1 (stats inherited exactly from regular hero) Dialogues S''tart:'' Listrata: The Baroness had some very interesting things to say about you. Valdorian: Me? I am but a mere eldery soldier... L: I hate to admit it but the Baroness is shrewd. L: She told me you've been stirring up rumors about the bodies in the river. inciting desertion to my troops. V: I would never. Game: '''L: Whatever your plan was with this little coup, it failed. V: I had nothing to do with this. You've got it all wrong, Captain. L''': Are you telling me that the Baroness lied? V: All nobles lie, Captain. '''L: I'm going to send your head back to the Siani once I've cut it off your body. V: What? L: It wasn't hard to work out you're a Siani spy. V: Ah, yes. You've found me out, I'm afraid. L: You're behind all of this, aren't you? V: Of course not, Captain. I'm just a soldier who doesn't much like the looks of those dead children. L: Who are you? You wear the uniform of my army, but... V: You doubt that I work for you? I've been with you for years, do you not remember me? Enemy buys Seduce: V: Urgh, no chance. Enemy buys Surveillance: L: You don't happen to feel like telling me who else is a Siani spy? Defeat: V: Like a rabid animal, you had to be put down. I take no pleasure in this. Or only a little bit. at least. Victory: L: Maybe I'll carve a message on your forehead to the Siani... wait, where is he? We had him cornered! Grandmaster Notes Player Deck Suggestions The following deck can handle all 4 fights. * Power: ** Usury++ * Prosperity: ** Wealthy Patron++ ** Vintner++ ** Serf++ ** Loan++ * Faith: ** Supplicant++ ** Synod++ ** Miracle++ * War: ** Knight+ ** Knight Category:Campaign